If you are in real estate, you already know new building and housing starts are down. Now, the AIA has put some numbers around it. A new report shows that construction spending is down 27 percent since 2008, a loss of $300 billion in economic activity. Leanne Tobias at Greenbiz writes:

"As reported in a new study by the American Institute of Architects, construction spending in the U.S. has declined by 27 percent since 2008, an economic loss of close to $300 billion. (An additional $470 billion in construction-related spending also has been lost.) Private construction projects have been particularly hard hit, declining by more than a third, while public construction is down roughly 10 percent.

Freezing right now? Broiling? Can't see because of glare? Blame your windows. Serious Energy is holding the I Want Better Windows contest. You could be one of the winners of 250 square feet of iWindows. (click here to enter) or vote for one of the entrants.

Today's entry comes from Michael in New Jersey. He's at a hospital:

"We are a non-profit hospital. Our windows are 30 or more years older... It would be great to have warmer patient rooms and offices for the staff. My office is in the basement... No windows for me but it would be realy good for the building."

Solar Decathlon team from University of Tennessee wins top energy scores for design of a vented double-glass façade system that relied on the super-insulating properties of SeriousGlass.

This gorgeous new home could be called Net Zero Energy House + Cars.  Located in chilly Fraser, Colorado, the Fraser House braves the sub-zero temperatures and eliminates the use of fossil fuels – for the house and two all-electric plug-in cars.  The combination of solar photovoltaic and evacuated tube solar thermal arrays meets all of the home’s (and car’s) power and heating needs.

Sungazing House, the home of Kevin and Svetlana O’Meara, won the 2010 Green Home of the Year award from Green Builder Media.  Green Builder Media selected Sungazing House as the grand-prize winner from a pool of extraordinary projects that “integrate the built and natural environments.”  Sungazing House, a stunningly-designed, ultra-modern home located in Park City, Utah built by Tall Pines Construction, meets the requirements of the gamut of green building design standards: Passive House, LEED Platinum, Net Zero Energy and National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Emerald.

Doug Boleyn is an energy expert. In 1974, he and his wife built a solar heated home. Today, Doug manages commercial solar programs for Energy Trust of Oregon, sits on the Board of Directors of Solar Oregon, and has applied his energy conservation expertise to countless projects. Doug leads through practice, demonstrating Net Zero design in his current Pacific Northwest home. We met Doug and the partners on his Net Zero home project, energy efficiency builders Cellar Ridge Custom Homes and architect Mathhew O. Daby a couple months ago during Solar Oregon's Goal Net Zero 2010 event.

Without a doubt, EcoFutures Building has been a leading innovator in the development of energy efficient homes building in the Colorado area – and certainly an exemplary act to follow across the country. They have been designing and building Net Zero Energy Homes since 2005, not only for private clients but also for professionals and the public for education and motivation.  By proving that homes for all income levels can be built to produce more energy than they use, Ecofutures has set precedents that challenge the housing industry to move toward carbon neutrality – now.

ZETA Communities' recent Oakland Net Zero Live/Work Townhome project was named 2009 GreenBuilder Magazine's Home of the Year Grand winner in the December issue.  What makes this LEED Platinum project stand out is the project's location in a dense population area that's relatively affordable.  Many Net Zero projects to date have been larger, single family homes (see other Net Zero projects. After all, the number one action individuals can take to reduce their carbon footprint is to live in urban centers.

The Palo Alto Net Zero Energy House is a completely renovated 1936 house in Palo Alto, California that is now net zero energy and carbon-neutral.

"It is possible, it can be done, and we have to do it. We have to show people it can be done." That's what one of our industry colleagues at the DOE said when we were talking about Extreme Makeover's energy goals for their new projects - a near-zero energy home and a community center in D.C.  This week ABC's Extreme Makeover is invading Washington D.C., and with the support of hundreds of volunteers, dozens of companies donating their products, local contractors, and the DOE, the Tripp family is getting a new home to live in and underserved students and parents a new community center. Read more about the lucky family and community center here.